of bells, and a cry of fire, on which he immediately ran and
as-
sisted in bringing a fire-engine towards King-street, where it was re-
ported the fire was; but on coming near Dr. Sewall's
meeting-house,
they were met by several people, who told them it was no fire, but
the soldiers and inhabitants fighting in King-street, and desired them
to go back immediately for their arms; on hearing this, he hastened
to the place, and on coming to the corner of the street where the
main guard is, he fell in with a great crowd of people huzzaing, and
most of them armed with clubs, challenging the main guard to come
out and fight them,
"damning them for bloody back rascals, that
they were now enough for them, and that they dare not turn out."
After some time, finding they could not provoke the main guard to
fight with them, they retired from thence, and went to attack the
centinel at the custom-house, at which time the deponent followed
them close, and saw them surround the centry, whom
they imme-
diately began to attack, striking at him with clubs, swearing they
would be revenged on the soldiers; the centry
defended himself with
his bayonet, and desired them to keep off,
"saying he durst not quit
his post, and if they did not desist must call the guard;" they
imme-
diately began to pelt him with sticks and large pieces of ice
picked
up from the street, which obliged the centry to
retreat to the door of
the custom-house, and call to the guard for
assistance, a part of
which coming immediately, were attacked in the same manner with
clubs and balls of ice; the people at the same time calling out to
them,
"Damn you, you rascals, fire; you dare not fire; fire and be
damn'd; why don't you fire?" These expressions
were frequently re-
peated, during which time the officer who commanded the party
(whom the deponent did not know, but has since heard it was Capt.
Preston) spoke often to the mob, desiring them to be quiet and
disperse,
for if they continued their attack upon him and his party, he should
be obliged to open fire upon them; just at this time a grenadier on the
right of the party was struck with a large stick thrown at him, which
made him stagger; as soon as he recovered, he and the soldier next
him both fired, and soon after five or six more, on which he the
de-
ponent saw several people drop, and the rest ran away, but returned
soon after to carry off those who were killed and wounded; which as
soon as done, the deponent left King-street, and
saw nothing further
of what passed that night.
THOMAS GREENWOOD.
Suffolk, ss.
Boston, March 13, 1770.
Sworn before me, JAMES MURRAY, J.P.
(No.112.)
I Richard Palms, of
Boston, of lawful age, testify and say, that
between the hours of nine and ten o'clock, last Monday evening,
the 5th instant, I heard one of the bells ring, which I thought was